Is cancer care the next big design opportunity?
Author Sakshi Seth
For years, the wellness industry has been all about peak health and fitness, but that’s finally starting to change. In recent months, I’ve been noticing more products and services designed for illness, recovery and long-term cancer care – a shift that feels long overdue.
By 2050, global cancer diagnoses are set to hit 35 million. With more young people being diagnosed and survival rates falling, designing for cancer care is a critical need. In this piece, I’m shining the spotlight on some of the leading innovations in this space and what we can learn from them.
Everviolet – Adaptive lingerie for cancer survivors
Most fashion and wellness brands focus on people at their strongest, but recovery looks different. After breast cancer treatment, comfort, support, and confidence take on a whole new meaning.
Everviolet creates lingerie and loungewear designed with healing in mind. Soft fabrics, wire-free support, and easy closures make each piece gentle on sensitive skin, scars, and changing body shapes. Traditional lingerie simply isn’t made for recovery, and Everviolet is filling that gap, proving that medical-friendly pieces can be both practical and empowering.
Complex Creatures – Breast care for cancer patients
Recovery is about more than just getting through treatment. After chemotherapy, surgery or radiotherapy, self-care becomes a lifeline; a way to soothe, reconnect and feel at home in a body that may no longer feel like your own. Complex Creatures understands this journey.
Their breast care products, from lymphatic detox oils to moisturisers and pain-relief treatments, are designed to comfort, heal and nourish skin that has been through so much. This is reflective of a wider evolution in the beauty and wellness space – it feels like more brands are recognising that true care means creating products that meet people where they are, and I think that matters.
T&Pm x Melanoma UK – Beauty spotters campaign
Skin cancer doesn’t just affect light skin, but too often, that’s the only message people hear. Acral melanoma, the most common form in Black and Brown skin, is rarely talked about, leading to later diagnoses and worse outcomes. T&Pm and Melanoma UK tackled this head-on with Beauty Spotters, a campaign designed to put life-saving information directly into people’s hands.
Using nail stickers that mimic the early signs of acral melanoma, the campaign turns beauty into a vehicle for health awareness. Instead of relying on clinical leaflets or medical jargon, it puts vital education in a place people actually notice. It’s a smart, striking reminder that health messaging works best when it’s part of daily life, not an afterthought. More brands should take note.
Moksi – Skincare for young cancer patients
Cancer treatment is tough on the skin, but for young patients, the challenge goes beyond physical side effects. Many feel overlooked by traditional cancer care, with products and messaging that don’t reflect their reality. Moksi is changing that.
This Belgian skincare brand creates products specifically for people undergoing cancer treatment, with gentle, non-toxic formulations that align with clean beauty while meeting medical needs. By addressing the unique skincare concerns of younger patients, Moksi is breaking the stigma that cancer is an “old person’s disease” and ensuring that self-care feels accessible, effective and relevant.
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